27th Street Bridge Will Close For A Year
I-94 project will cause key local road’s longterm closure.
Interstate 94 project map. Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
A key north-south artery will soon close to traffic for almost a full year.
The 27th Street Bridge spanning the Menomonee Valley will be closed to traffic starting in spring 2026.
The bridge is being reconstructed by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) as part of the $1.75 billion widening of Interstate 94.
In a recent newsletter, WisDOT said the 27th Street Bridge would be closed “long term” while it is reconstructed. WisDOT expects construction will be completed by early 2027, according to a timeline for the interstate project. Once finished, there will be new sidewalks and bike lanes running in both directions on the bridge.
The 35th Street Bridge will also be rebuilt during the interstate project, but WisDOT is waiting until the 27th Street Bridge is finished before closing it for construction, preserving transportation access across the Menomonee Valley.
The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) PurpleLine runs back and forth across the 27th Street Bridge. The route is among the highest-ridership routes in the system. MCTS frequently adjusts bus routes to account for construction and road closures.
On a public webpage, MCTS reports the PurpleLine will be impacted during interstate construction. A spokesperson did not respond to a request for any available details on how MCTS will detour buses during reconstruction of the bridge.
WisDOT recently broke ground on the widening project with the “West Leg Segment” stretching from Zablocki Drive, just west of American Family Field, to N. 70th Street.
The larger 3.5-mile project will rebuild the freeway from N. 16th to N. 70th street and completely replace the Stadium Interchange. The six-lane roadway will be expanded to eight lanes. WisDOT expects construction to last until 2033.
More information on construction timing is available on WisDOT’s I-94 East-West project website.
Update
After publishing, MCTS told Urban Milwaukee that riders can check the MCTS webpage for service updates and use the Umo App for “boarding information and trip-planning updates.”
“We’re partnering with WisDOT to minimize the impacts of the I-94 East-West construction project on the community. We’ll share updates about route detours around this spring’s 27th Street construction throughout the project to help our riders plan their trips,” a spokesperson said.
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More about the I-94 East-West Expansion
- Transportation: 27th Street Bridge Will Close For A Year - Graham Kilmer - Nov 29th, 2025
- Coalition Raises Concerns on I-94 Construction - Sierra Club - Nov 12th, 2025
- Construction Starting On $1.7 Billion Interstate 94 Widening - Jeramey Jannene - Oct 15th, 2025
- Governor Evers approves first segment of I-94 East-West construction to begin in Milwaukee County - Wisconsin Department of Transportation - Oct 15th, 2025
- Transportation: Fix At Six Coalition Sues State, Federal Government Over I-94 Expansion - Graham Kilmer - Aug 20th, 2024
- WisDOT to host I-94 East-West Freeway Project public meetings - Wisconsin Department of Transportation - Jun 12th, 2024
- Open Houses Announced For I-94 Widening - Jeramey Jannene - Jun 6th, 2024
- ‘Fix at Six’ Group Wants I-94 Expansion Delayed For Civil Rights Report - Jeramey Jannene - Mar 20th, 2024
- Coalition Admonishes I-94 expansion Record of Decision - Sierra Club - Mar 20th, 2024
- Feds Approve Interstate 94 Expansion - Jeramey Jannene - Mar 8th, 2024
Read more about I-94 East-West Expansion here
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WISDOT is going ahead with widening I94 despite community vocal dissent. On top of that they are closing the 27th street bridge and routing traffic to the 35th street bridge. Both bridges carry thousands of vehicles a day. Both are in need of major repairs. Routing 27th street traffic to 35th street will surely weaken the bridge further.
For WISDOT every solution is building more freeways. Its focus on building freeways does not meet the needs of those who live in the area set aside for I94 expansion are dismissed. imposing more air pollution on residents. The department dismisses the concerns of Milwaukee residents to travel easier for suburbanites to reach downtown. Isn’t WISDOT supposed to serve all Wisconsin residents? Is it not funded by tax dollars? Does not the “T” in WISDOT stand for transportation, which includes more than just freeways?
I think it’s time we cut the legs off of WISDOT and force them to focus on all forms of transportation–including rapid and public transportation–and needs of all Wisconsin residents specifically Milwaukee County residents Do we have to sue WISDOT again? I hoped that the department had learned its lessons from the Zoo interchange. Obviously not.
It’s outrageous to close and remodel both the 27th St. viaduct, and simultaneously reconstruct I-94 at it’s northern terminus.
Anyone using these roadways regularly, should complain to the DOT and their state legislators!
Don’t forget work will soon be starting on National Avenue. Taking away traffic lanes from National Avenue while adding lanes to I-94 seems like weird, inconsistent thinking. (Should leave the freeway at 3 lanes). This out of control construction is going to be a huge pain in the ass for the area for years.
For Bike lanes on the 27th st bridge it really would be nice to connect the Hank Aaron Trail by the Domes and the Hank Aaron by canal street. By the domes is easy enough, but canal street is trickier. It’s probably too much to expect from WisDOT to get a separate cyclist and pedestrian ramp down to canal as traffic goes over it. And a 2 way cycle track, grade separated, separate from the sidewalk? I just skimmed the DOT site but I suspect we are just getting some painted lines.
The bike route that goes Washington-Scott-26th is pretty chill, I feel comfortable with my toddler in the trailer, aside from crossing national ave. But once you get to the domes you really ideally go west before you go north. WisDOT could be a small part of improving that.
I don’t understand some of these comments. There’s no logical way to recontruct I-94 without closing 27th St and later 35th St. And National Ave will be more pedestrian and bike friendly with its reduced capacity, shifting more traffic to the reconstructed I-94 and away from neighborhood streets.
I guess there are some Luddites that don’t have cars. I live in the city but have to drive to most stores I need. Unfortunately most are located in the suburbs and would take me hours on the bus if I could even get there by public transit. I wish we were more like Europe but we are not.
$1.8 billion for an interstate widening that a majority of city residents don’t want while our county bus system suffers a budget deficit of less than $10 million. Thanks WisDOT.